Hello all!
I moved here in August and this will be my first summer gardening here. Since I moved from Ohio, it is a big change! I had a very generous friend in our lab give me some nice clumps of daylilies, some obediant plant, some iris (can't remember which right now), and a sweet autumn clematis. My question is where is the best place to put these? I learned quickly the power of TX sun here with my cacti so I don't want anything to burn. I have the following areas: east-facing (front of house), south-facing (side of house, no shade), south-facing (some shade from a tree), southwest facing (behind house, only gets afternoon sun), and southeast facing (back of yard, gets dappled shade from drooping trees). I was thinking of putting the daylilies on the side of the house since there is a lot of room there. I am a bit of a newbie when it comes to outdoor gardening in general, as I am mostly a houseplant collector. Any thoughts are appreciated. I am hoping to put them in this weekend.
Thanks, Kim
daylilies (and others) in TX
Welcome Kim.
DLs, SAC and iris can take full texas sun or part shade. so all your locations would be OK. In full sun you may have to be more attentive with watering.
For Iris, I think more information about what kind you have is necessary for optimal plant placement. Mine are in full sun but it is also my first year with them. Mine are tall bearded irises, need more time to decide if they like my gardens. Also have walking iris and I have those in funn sun and shade doing great, but in full sun they can get ratty at summer's peak.
I'm not familiar with obedient plant, other than sometimes it is better known as "disobedient" plant...
This message was edited Mar 30, 2006 12:27 PM
Thanks vossner for your help. I am renting at this duplex but will probably be here for a number of years since I am working on my doctorate degree. I'll ask about the iris, I know she told me what it was but now I forget.
I also have a couple more questions. First, can anyone give me ideas on how to disguise this ugly ac that's on the side of my house? I thought about some white fencing and then some plants around that perhaps. This is what I had at my last place. I figure I would need to have some room around it so it could take in sufficient air. This side again gets full south sun.
side of house: http://community.webshots.com/photo/455495385/2324181570044472573xebmvX
from another angle: http://community.webshots.com/photo/455495385/2010354630044472573yZcHub
Secondly, I have a question regarding a shrub in the front of my house. In my opinion it is dying, and I have spoke with the rental office numerous times to no avail about taking it out. I am thinking they just don't want to hassle with it. I've already pulled out one shrub in front of the porch so I figure I could probably take this one out too without much comment from the rental people. However, I want to make sure first that it is indeed dying. I don't know what it is or what could be done to save it. My neighbor (the other side of the duplex) also dislikes her shrub, it looks a lot like mine. Any thoughts?
front of house: http://community.webshots.com/photo/455495385/2459069120044472573XgbAVq
shrub: http://community.webshots.com/photo/455495385/2044420240044472573gHxgCn
closeup of shrub: http://community.webshots.com/photo/455495385/2110590610044472573bmYlqD
Thanks again for all your help!
Kim
Obedient plant will take full sun right on and need very little shade.
The Daylilies . . . here is the deal with daylilies in Texas. If they are named cultivars they need afternoon shade on the whole or the blooms will wash out. If they are species rather then cultivars then that is a whole other ballgame - plant if full sun and forget them.
If you have any other questions on DLs just let me know! I tend to love the crazy things.
Hello Mitch! Thanks for the info. Unfortunately I don't have much of anywhere that gets afternoon shade. I wonder if they would be ok with other taller plants shading them possibly? I think at least some of them are named, but whether they are species or cultivars I don't know. She couldn't remember which plant was which. I'm thinking that since she dug them up now, they probably won't bloom this year but maybe I will be surprised.
Kim
I hope they bloom for you, try to get their names and I can help you pair the name and blooms once they open. even shade from tall plants - pure sun here just bleaches the color right out of them way to fast. They just might bloom this year - all matters what they are.
Blue eyes, that shrub is really overgrown and must be very old, replacing it would be a big improvement, I hope they let you do it.
Josephine.
Kim,
WELCOME! I lived in Bryan before moving to SA 2 years ago and just love the Texas climate. I think you will like your new area. Good luck with all the lilies!
This message was edited Jun 2, 2006 4:20 PM
Mitch, I had never heard what you said about daylilies fading in the sun if they were named cultivars. I have some Happy Returns from Maggiemoo that I need to plant. So do they need afternoon shade? They sure won't get it where I was going to put them. I have some called Aztec Gold that I want to dig up for the RU. Happy Returns will get afternoon shade there.
Mary Lee
Ok...so I found out the irises are butterfly irises...they are supposed to be purple. Any ideas on where they should go?
Thanks again, Kim
about the ac, you can do anything you want. with landlord's blessing, of course. I think the only consideration will be to keep it accessible enough for workers to get to the ac easily and also to protect whatever you plant from being trampeled. I have shrubs planted to hide my AC but there is 3 ft path on all 4 sides.
About DLs, I have read fading may be an issue, in particular with dark colored DLs. But there are many varieties that are featured as "will not fade in sun", and when I'm interested in a darkie, I sort of look for that feature. But I haven't noticed much fading on any of mine. This is my first year planting DLs in part shade, I will be watching with interest the color differential from sun/less sun and I shall report here.
Thanks vossner, that was what I was thinking, I just wasn't sure how much room to provide around the AC. I was also thinking some fencing (easily removable of course) would help keep the plants from getting too close to it. I'll talk to my rental office about it as well. As for the daylilies, I found out the names of three of them: Baja, Happy Returns, and Ice Carnival. Like I said before, right now I don't know which is which. I'll have to wait for blooms. I think right now I will put them on the side of the house, and if they bloom and look like they are fading I will move them next year. I think my friend had them in full sun as well but I will check for sure. They is supposed to be a miniature one as well in the mix.
As for the shrub...I will be making it clear to the rental office that if they do not intend to remove the shrub then I will be removing it and replacing it. I feel that for the rent I pay, they should be taking responsibility for the asthetics of the unit, especially if they do not want the renter to do so. However, if they do not want to remove it then they should not complain if the renter does so, again to improve the asthetics of the unit. We will see what response I get next week. I'm sure most renters around there don't care so much.
alamoaimee...thanks for the welcome! I've been here since August, and so far I really do like the town. I grew up in a small town (much smaller than college station) and so it feels more homey to me. Before this I lived in Madison, WI (which I also loved) and Columbus, OH (which was ok but I really miss my neighbors, it was a great neighborhood). Although there are less things to do here, I find I have less time anyway with school so it all works out. And I can make trips to Houston or Austin if I want to get away for the day.
:) Kim
Hi, Kim. :-) Where in Columbus did you live? I lived there (first in Hilliard and then in Columbus) from 1982 until 1998.
~ Marylyn
Daylilies - depending on the color might fade in the sun, the darker colors are the worst at it....
Welcome, Kim! Let me jump in here on the sweet autumn clematis. Be sure you put it somewhere where it will not cover up everything else you have planted! I made the mistake of planting mine in front of a wrought iron fence where I had a rose and several other less vigorous clematis and it completely took over the fence and the surrounding trees and was a half a day project to get it all cleaned out in the winter. It is beautiful in bloom but I recommend putting it somewhere isolated.
Terrie
BlueEyes, you might be better off not to ask the landlord to plant something, because they are not likely to care what it looks like. Better to pick it out yourself, because you know what you like and you know you'll put some thought into the decision. You're likely to be there a long time and the management doesn't live there.
Mary Lee
Hello Marylyn! I lived in Dublin for a little over 2 years, loved it there except for the pricey rent. I was working in a lab at OSU before going back to school, which is how I ended up here..lol. I still have friends back there that I haven't seen since I moved. I'm hoping to get to visit sometime this spring or summer.
Thanks for the advice on the clematis Terrie. The place I picked out for it should be perfect then, I'll just make sure not to put anything else around it. I'm wanting vines to cover up the metal fencing around my yard. This one will go in the back.
Good idea Mary Lee! I bet they would just put another of the same bush there for all I know...lol. If I don't get it out by the end of the month, you'll get to see it in person. From the front it isn't too bad, but from my front door it looks just horrible. Hopefully I can get that resolved soon. Anyone have any suggestions for a good replacement bush there? It's on the southeast corner of the house.
:) Kim
Well my knee-jerk reaction is to put in a rose. There are some that are very hardy and would really like that sunny spot. Are you going to take out the other shrub also. I forgot about that one. That would cut off some sun. I think if you cut out the dead one, you will be able to see for sure what kind of space you have. It's always easier for me to make plans once I get the area cleared of what I don't want.
Do you mean the shrub in front of the porch? That one is already gone, I tore it out about a month or so ago. It was a job too! Now there's a little flower bed there. That spot will get sun for the first part of the day, but once the sun rounds the side of the house then it's shaded. Would that be enough for a rose?
Kim
Kim, did you say it was on the southeast side? The south side of the house should get sun all day unless it's under the eave.
Well...I think it's southeast...lol! My house is oriented oddly compared to places I have lived previously The front faces southeast, but when the sun rounds the house so that it is in the west (late afternoon-evening), I think this part then gets some shade but let me check tomorrow. I could be talking nonsense...wouldn't be the first time!
Kim